The Only Change
by second-star-to-the-r1ght
Summary: This is the story of the year the pupils of Hogwarts return to continue there seventh year. Since the war, the castle has been rebuilt, everything as it was before. Except for one change, the Head Boy and Girl are sharing living quarters. The Heads happen to be two very different people, Draco Malfoy and Hermione Granger,this is the story of how they become friends, or perhaps more
1. Chapter 1

Hermione looked out the window of the carriage she and her friends were currently occupying. She smiled at her reflection in the window, thinking about the year to come; she had one more year with her best friends in the world, in her favourite place in the world. She turned her head slightly and looked at the small group of teenagers sitting with her. There was Dean, Seamus, Hannah, Neville, Luna and Ginny, and of course, Harry and Ron. Everyone in the carriage meant so much to her, but the boy with the dark messy hair and scar and the boy with the red curls and freckles were part of her now. They were the golden trio. Together, with the help of many more, they had finally defeated Lord Voldemort the previous year. Although they had lost many friends and family along the way, and most of them were left with battle scars or terrible images from the war, they had come out stronger, with their heads held high and hope in their hearts. She looked up and noticed that the boy with the freckles and blue eyes was gazing intently at her. He saw that she had noticed and a blush quickly spread on his face to the tips of his ears. Her lips curved, and she smiled slightly to herself. This was going to be an interesting year.

The group stepped off the train, chatting and laughing, their arms thrown around each other in an affectionate way. Neville was giving Luna a piggyback, and she was talking animatedly in his ear about the nargles that she could see with her special purple glasses on. (Courtesy of the Quibblers 100th issue special edition.) Neville didn't really look like he was paying too much attention to her rambling, nodding and agreeing with her occasionally, but it was clear how much he loved her from the small smile on his face and the pride in his eyes from having this beautiful elegant blonde choosing him of all people. The boys walked in front with Hannah, and Ginny and Hermione carried up the rear, their arms linked in the way girls only do if they are gossiping about important matters.

"So, do you really like him then? I can tell by the way you keep looking at him Ginny, don't try and hide it!" Hermione said wickedly with a touch of amusement.

Ginny blushed fervently and nodded her head shyly. They both looked at each other and burst out laughing, squeezing each other closer and continuing their discussion further in excited whispers that only they could hear. A little bit further along the dusty track, a small group of Slytherins were also discussing the year to come and their current love interests. A tall boy with platinum blonde hair and eyes the colour of a stormy sea was laughing and joking with his friend, Blaise Zabini.

"So Draco, who do you have your wicked eye on? Which poor girl will fall victim to your hungry appetite this year eh?" Blaise questioned cheekily.

Draco Malfoy raised a perfectly sculptured eyebrow to his friend and confessed that he didn't have his 'wicked eye' on anyone yet, but that Pansy Parkinson was looking 'fit in that leather jacket.' Blaise laughed and heartily agreed with him, checking out the dark haired girls walking in front of them with a couple of girlfriends. Draco's eyes left Pansy's behind to scan the heads around them, trying to spot someone with a badge identical to the one he was wearing just now. A curly haired brunette caught his eye, and he realised that she was in possession of the badges twin. He looked up to her face and eventually realised that the girl was Hermione Granger, the very same girl who he had been taunting and teasing for their entire career at Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry. He had to double check it was definitely her, because from where he was standing which was to be fair, pretty far away, she looked…well, different.

The next time Draco caught a glimpse of Hermione was in the large crowd of seventh year students surrounding Professor McGonagall, awaiting their instructions to where they would be sleeping and who the head girl and boy were. Since last term, a lot had changed. The castle had been destroyed in some places during the final battle, and had obviously been rebuilt over the break, but the students were still expecting some disruption to their usual routines and living situations, hence why they were all so quiet, they were desperate to hear about the changes to their school lives. The tall, thin witch stepped up to the top of the first staircase and clapped her hands quickly three times. Immediately, what was left of the chatter stopped, and all eyes were on the ageing, but still impressive witch.

"Welcome back, to each and every one of you. I'm so pleased to see how many of you have come back to continue your 7th year of education, although for some of you (at this point she looked directly at Harry, Ron and Hermione) I see no point, as you have already learnt so much from the outside world. However different and disruptive last term may have been, this year will continue smoothly and hopefully, (again she looked at the trio), without so much shenanigans. The castle has been repaired in the exact same way as it was previously built, so you should have no trouble in finding your dormitories. However, there is one difference." The students all remained silent, excitedly awaiting the change that was in store for them. "This year, the Head Boy and Girl's dormitory will be in the same part of the castle, and they will live side by side, in harmony. This arrangement has been put in place to demonstrate that it is possible for the different houses to live in unity, and I hope that you two, Miss Granger and Mr Malfoy, will be lead a good example. The heads all swivelled to get a look at the faces of Hermione and Draco. Both of them were equally as shocked as each other. They caught each other's eye and held a stare between them. What confused Hermione the most about that look was the fact that neither of them was glaring at the other. It wasn't exactly a friendly look, but it was definitely not the worst scowl she had seen coming from Malfoy. The students began their chattering again as Hermione turned to face her friends.

"Bloody hell, has she finally gone off her rocker? No way am I letting them two live opposite the hall from each other, one of them will end up dead! And believe me, it will not be Hermione!" The others laughed at Ron's protective behaviour, and Hermione chuckled too and smiled shyly at Ron. He caught her eye when nobody else was looking and winked slightly at her. She blushed sweetly. Once again Professor McGonagall clapped her hands thrice and the crowd fell silent. "As you are all in seventh year, you have been allowed to enter the castle earlier than everybody else, this extra fifteen minutes will be used so that you may find out your dormitories and unpack, however I expect you down in the Great Hall for dinner in 13 minutes sharp. Will everybody please return to your house common room. Your prefects will debrief you further from there." The crowd started to disperse and head their separate ways; the Slytherins to the dungeons, the Gryffindor's to the North Tower and so on. But then the teacher's three claps rang out once more, louder this time. "Except from the Head of years. I want a private word with you two in my office, come along."


	2. Chapter 2

As usual, i do not own anything in this story you recognise bla bla bla. Enjoy the chapter and if you have anything to say, fancy dropping a review? ;)

Chapter 2

Hermione and Draco fell into step beside each other on the way up the moving stairs, not on purpose, but because that's what two students being summoned to a teachers office do.

"Granger…" Draco drawled. Hermione glowered at him, awaiting an insult or comment on her returning to Hogwarts this year. Instead, he said simply; "You look different."

She nearly fell over the step in shock, and had to work hard at putting one foot in front of the other so she wouldn't slip and career down the stairs. Lord, that would be embarrassing, especially in the present company. He raised an eyebrow, awaiting her response. "Good or bad different?" she questioned, raising a beautifully shaped eyebrow back at him. He chuckled and said, "I didn't know you could flirt Granger, I thought that it would be far beyond your capabilities as a normal human. She glared back at him, partly on an impulse, partly because the words that had come out of Draco's mouth had stung. "Firstly Malfoy, if I was to flirt with anyone, it certainly wouldn't be with you. Secondly, it was a perfectly reasonable question, now answer it before I hex you to within an inch of your life" she shot back icily. He looked at her, and chuckled. Wow, he thought to himself, she's definitely feistier than she used to be. Teasing her was going to be hard work if she could handle herself.

She frowned at him, confused about his laughter, and raised her wand as a warning. She had stopped on a step and he kept going, climbing up another few before turning around and looking her up and down. His eyes took in her face, which was sun kissed from her previous year being spent mostly out of doors. Her eyes were the colour of caramel, which were bright and framed by long, thick eyelashes. He took in her perfectly sculpted lips, and wondered what it would feel like to have them pressed against his own. His eyes began their descent, and took in her full chest and small, neat waist. They travelled lower to her shapely legs and tiny feet. And then his eyes stopped and slowly travelled their way back up to hers. He paused, as if trying to make what he was about to say somehow more dramatic. He spoke the word quietly, but somehow Hermione heard it 1000 decibels louder than it was muttered.

"Good."

Her breath caught in her throat as he swept further past her, leaving behind a waft of citrusy aftershave. Never, had Draco Malfoy uttered a kind word to Hermione. And yet, the question that they were both asking themselves was this; why, after all these years of taunting and trying to outdo each other with the insults, did it feel so natural for him to be nice to her?

She slowly plodded up the last few steps to the top, and was glad to see that Minerva McGonagall was still the same person, standing next to her door telling Hermione to hurry up before one of them died from old age. Hermione muttered a quick, "Yes professor", before rushing inside, under the elderly woman's arm. She had been in this office many times, often with Harry and Ron when the three of them were in trouble for various adventures that had taken place in the castle. This was the first time she had stood in this room without them, and she was feeling uneasy. She looked around; reassured that it still looked the same neat and old-fashioned room, and went to sit on the chair next to Draco's on the opposite side of the desk from the professor.

Draco gaze was on something on the outside of the window, far away, and he had a cloudy look in his eyes, like he was thinking about something. Hermione would usually have rolled her eyes and told him to snap out of it and stop being such a moron, but this time, it was different. She knew exactly what he was thinking about.

"Now, as you know this yea-you both look like you've seen a ghost!" Professor McGonagall interrupted her

own speech and looked at the two of them incredulously. "Snap out of it, you two weren't chosen to be Head Boy and Girl because you sit about and dream all day were you?"

Draco looked sheepish and muttered a sorry, and asked her to 'please continue.' She began speaking again in a weary voice, sounding like all she wanted to do was get her dinner and get to bed. She rattled off the responsibilities that being a Head Boy and Girl would entail and Draco listened, with a look of glee on his face when he heard that they would be able to dish out and take away house points this year. When the Professor explained this to them he asked her if the Head Boy and Girl would be able to 'deduct points from each other's houses for the other's behaviour.' Hermione rolled her eyes. "Honestly Draco, is making my life a living hell all you think about?" she said shrewdly. He replied with an answer that made the hairs on the back of her neck stand up. "No Hermione, that isn't all I think about." He said this while holding her gaze, gently lowering it to her lips and then her chest. Hermione sat, shocked at what he had just said. The teacher cleared her throat and gave a signal with her hands that implied that she had finished what she wanted to tell them. "Well, away you two go now. I want my dinner and then my bed, and I'm assuming you two do as well. I hope you bear in mind what I've told you. You two signify a fresh start at Hogwarts; a school without divides, where every student lives in harmony with the rest. Now scoot!"

The two students hurried out of the office, and began their descent to where they had left their luggage. They started with their usual insults and bickering, and unconsciously began to race each other down the stairs towards their luggage. And then, Hermione remembered something that made her heart stop. He had called her by her first name.

Hermione.

Draco reached his bags, and scooped them up with his wand, making them levitate next to him. He looked up at Hermione, raising an eyebrow. "Looks like I win this time Granger. I'm off to dinner now. I hope to see you in _our _room later, I've heard the accommodation is very cosy…" he walked off with a final cheeky wink in her direction, leaving her standing their, speechless, and weirdly turned on.


	3. Chapter 3

Hey guys! Sorry for the delay in updating, i've been quite busy recently and i haven't had the chance to sit down with my laptop and have a good think for ages. Anyway, hope you enjoy the chapter, remember to R&R if you like:) xo

Disclaimer: I do not own anything you recognise. Sadly.

Also: Lavender didn't die in this story.

Chapter 3

Hermione lifted up her bags, too stunned to even perform a simple levitating charm, and headed in the direction of the North Tower. And then she remembered, she wouldn't be sleeping there this year, this term she would be living across the hallway from the impossible young blonde, Draco Malfoy. And then she also remembered she had no idea where her new accommodation was situated in the castle. With a sigh she headed towards the Great Hall, leaving her suitcases behind a tapestry where she would collect them later. She would have dinner with her friends and then ask her new 'room mate' if he knew where they going to be living for the next year. She entered the Great Hall, and at last had on overwhelming feeling of returning home after a long holiday. She was back.

As she walked down the length of the room, past the students admiring faces and flirty glances from the boys, and even a few from the girls (!), she felt herself relax. Although she herself didn't realise it, Hermione was hot. When she walked her curvy hips swayed back and forth and her hair splayed out behind her, in shiny waves down her back. Rather like a waterfall, Ron thought to himself as Hermione approached the Gryffindor table. He shook his head to clear it from the rose tinted thoughts of Hermione that were gathering in his head, and greeted her with a small wave and a smile. As she sat down in her usual seat across from him and next to Harry, she noticed that her group of friends were currently strutting down the hall between the tables, laughing and chatting, until they eventually met the trio. Dean, Seamus, Hannah, Neville, Luna, Ginny, Lavender and the twins, Padma and Parvatti Patel sat down. They all exchanged hello's and the girls hugged each other, it felt like an age since Hermione had seen the twins, and she was glad they were there to join them. Hermione remembered that Hannah and Luna weren't in her house, and she was about to say something to them about the unusual seating arrangements when Neville caught her eye.

"It's okay Hermione, to demonstrate 'unity' or whatever the bloody hell they're calling it, the houses are now allowed to sit wherever they want. Pretty good idea if you ask me!" He looked pointedly at his girlfriend, and she obliged him by giving him a quick kiss on the lips. Neville grinned and put his arm around the ditzy blonde.

Sure enough, as Hermione looked around, she saw that students from different houses were sitting together happily, and without question from the staff.

"Wow", Hermione breathed, "this is a huge change for Hogwarts! You do realise that now they'll have to print a new version of 'Hogwarts; a History', to keep up with all the changes? I wonder when they'll be released…" Much to Hermione's confusion, everyone within a 5-metre radius of her was laughing at her nerdiness. Harry rolled his eyes and put his arm around her,

"Well Hermione, I don't know a lot about books, but when it comes out, I'll be sure to pick you up a copy…or three." He said cheekily, and she chuckled and pretend punched him on the arm. The rest of their meal was spent indulging not just in gorgeous food, but also in entertaining stories and banter about their last year and the year to come.

At last, everyone bid each other a good night, and headed their separate ways to their own common rooms and dormitories, which, much to Neville's dismay, were still very much separated from each other. Hermione remembered about her suitcase, and went to retrieve it from the hiding place, only to find it was no longer there. She muttered to herself in confusion and then whipped around when she heard a cocky chuckle somewhere behind her. As she expected, a tall blonde was waiting behind her, levitating her suitcases tauntingly in front of her face.

"Looking for something?" he inquired in a mock polite tone.

"Yes actually Malfoy, see those two cases labelled "Property of Hermione Jean Granger, touch and you die" you're dangling in front of my head? They are what I am looking for." She smiled at him, tilting her head to the side.

"Very funny Granger, although I'm pretty sure you wouldn't be able to kill me. You'd miss me too much." He replied, with a mocking purse of his lips

God he was arrogant, Hermione thought to herself, how was she going to bear him for another year?

She decided to play him at his own game and she leaned close to him, letting her t-shirt fall forward and reveal a bit more of her cleavage and lacy black bra and whispered in his year;

"I most certainly would,

_Malfoy."_


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4 

Hermione had left a shocked Draco standing in front of the tapestry long ago, by now she had explored every part of her new living accommodation and was sitting satisfied on a sofa in the common room that was to be shared by herself and her former arch nemesis. She leaned back and thought about this strange concept. She definitely still hated him; there was still something about him that made her blood boil and her toes curl up when he called her Granger, but there was also an element of attraction there too, she could feel it when he spoke to her, or even just glanced in her direction. She sat up, confused and annoyed at herself for even thinking these things. Draco was the forbidden fruit, she could only look, not touch. She felt an overwhelming sense of tiredness come over her, it had been a long day after all, and slouched against the sofa. Five minutes later she was fast asleep

One hour later

Draco stood outside his new common room door and wished the Slytherin Pansy goodnight. They had spent a few hours wandering about the castle and reminiscing about the old times they had spent together. They had only just stopped laughing about the time Draco had strung Neville up by his pants and hung him on the Whomping Willow. It had taken the teachers ages to get him down for fear of being decapitated by the giant tree. Pansy smiled up at him and he slowly smiled back. He did like her company he supposed, and she was the type of girl that his parents expected (and wanted) him to date and then later on marry, but there was something too familiar about her, almost like she was his family he supposed. Nevertheless when she looked up at him expectantly out of her big green eyes he obliged by giving her a quick peck on the cheek. He didn't want to complicate their relationship yet, since he wasn't sure himself what he wanted with this girl. She looked up at him, a little sadly he thought and sighed. "Goodnight Draco, have fun with Granger…" she whispered to him mockingly with a cheeky smile on her face. He got her back by jogging after her and smacking her on the bum, which may seem a bit forward to anyone observing, but this was a totally normal thing for Pansy and Draco to do. "Goodnight Pansy" he said back, tipping an imaginary cap towards the girl. She pretended to act miffed and stalked away, leaving him standing there like a fool. At the last corner she stopped and looked back. She slowly turned around and winked at him, before turning back and skipping off to wherever she was supposed to be at this time. (Probably tucked up safe and sound in her Slytherin dormitory, but that's teenagers for you!) Draco chuckled to him self and shook his head at the girls behaviour, if he didn't know her so well, he would think that she was a tad mental. He stood outside the portrait hole like a wally for five whole minutes trying to remember the damn password. He looked above the door and noticed a tapestry in which the Slytherin and Gryffindor mascots were embroidered. When he saw it he had a sort of epiphany, and remembered the stupid word straight away. "Unity," he told the old witch standing in the frame. "Got there eventually did you?" asked the grumpy old woman, angry at being disturbed from her nap. He rolled his eyes and climbed in as the door swung open, entering the living room. As he went in he noticed a sleeping Granger on the couch. He wanted to go up to bed, he was tired as well after his long day, but something inside of him wanted to see what the curly brunette would look like when she was asleep. A compelling force pulled him towards her and he tiptoed over to where she was sleeping. He sat on a chintzy chair across from her and studied her face. She looked so peaceful when she was unconscious, and he liked the fact that she didn't have that disgusted look her face seemed to adopt every time she saw him. His pale eyes took in her small body, which was curled into the foetal position at the edge of the sofa. Even though he obviously still disliked the girl, she did look very uncomfortable, perched on the edge like a sleeping bird. He debated himself for a few moments, weighing up the pro and con's and "what if she catches me's" in his mind. Finally, with a sigh he lifted himself off of the sofa and accio'd a blanket from a large pile in a basket. It was a tartan one, coloured in ruby and emerald. He rolled his eyes at the irony of the colours and gently unfolded and smoothed it out the creases that had formed from disuse of the thing, and gently draped it over the sleeping girl, trying his very best not to wake her up a he did so. He retreated back to his sofa with his heart pounding and his breath coming out in short face puffs. He didn't understand why this was happening to him over a sleeping girl! Confused and more tired than he had felt in ages, he headed back up the small staircase of about ten steps towards his room, opened the door and collapsed on the bed. He slowly removed his shoes with the opposite feet an crawled under the covers, glad to feel his heart rate slowly return to normal and his eyelids begin to droop.


End file.
